Angular cheilitis (sore corner of mouth) what actually works?

[blueskiesandsun]

I’ve got angular cheilitis according to the pharmacist and I can’t seem to fully shift it. It started when the first cold snap arrived and the pharmacist said it’s pretty common and triggered by the cold dry air.

It’s only on one side of my mouth but it’s red and sore and cracked. Not very noticeable to others but it’s just annoying and unsightly and irritated.

I’m treating it with a thin dab of clotrimazole and Vaseline once or twice a day. It seems to get better then it comes back again. Very frustrating!

Admittedly I’m not very consistent with the lotions, but I’m also not sure if they’re actually the right things… or if there is something I am eating / drinking / applying to my skin that is irritating.

Anyone who has suffered with this and successfully got rid of it please share your wise advice!

I read years ago that it can be a sign of B vitamin deficiency. Eat some beans on toast!

I experience it. Caused in my case by the foaming agent, Sodium Lauryl Suphate found in many toothpastes these days.

Try changing your toothpaste. It is hard to find them without this ingredient but the cheaper tubes of Sensodyne are SLS free.

Hope it works for you

B deficiency, take a B100 complex (high dose).

I came on to say this. I get it from toothpaste. I'm currently using colgate, and its flared up again

The only way I got rid of mine was figuring out what was causing it- like pp, it was my toothpaste! Colgate triple action is the only one I will use.
The blistex intensive repair (metal tube) shifts it, but only changing toothpaste made it stay away.

Weirdly, for me, iron supplements

Mine goes away when I take folic acid

fucidin Cream works amazingly well

Vitamin D helps. Most of us who spend most of our time indoors are deficient apparently.

It works for me anyway!

Dab of mupirocin ointment with your clotrimazole. 3-4 times a day and especially at bedtime.

I had this earlier this year and the cerave repair balm did the trick. It's the good stuff!

https://www.cerave.co.uk/skincare/moisturisers/advanced-repair-ointment

Following for advice, thank you.

A small dab of an ant fungal cream twice per day

Blistex Intensive in the metal tube worked for me too, but I never knew about the toothpaste or vitamin B thing!

This is brilliant advice thank you everyone.

I have fucidin in the cupboard so will try that.

Vitamin D I should be ok for as I already take a daily BetterYou spray which is 3000iu of D3 + K2.

For B12 I don’t take a separate one but multivitamin says it contains 5ug. I don’t know if that’s enough.

I am sensitive to SLS for sure as I’ve suffered with perioral dermatitis in the past and had to cut it out. I did run out of my usual Colgate toothpaste a few weeks ago… the one I used in the meantime was SLS-free too, but maybe it still irritates.

I have been stressed out for a few months so wouldn’t be surprised if that’s contributing.

I second changing to an SLS free toothpaste, I also have given up wearing lipstick, bit depressing but it definitely triggers AC in me.

I use this, it really helps bring it down and stops it splitting when I open my mouth.

I use fucidin for this too.

Grapefruit / orange juice SLS in toothpaste face creams soaps shower gels

Nipple cream!
I had this when I was pregnant with my first and it kept splitting. Used nipple cream religiously and it helped massively. We always have a tube for sore lips and noses now!

A tiny bit of honey dabbed on the corners of my mouth works like a charm for me.

Canasten, hydrocortisone and aquaphore on top a couple of times a day finally cleared it for me

I used to get it a lot when I was younger. I realised it went away when I was drinking energy drinks.. apparently it's a vitamin deficiency!

For me it means I’m low on iron.

Athletes foot cream always works for me. Daktarin or Caniston